The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-10-13
The Pension Controversy

A number OF partisans and a few
claim agents in Washington are Ia
boring to convince the country that
president Cleveland il an enemy to
union soldiers and opposed to liberal
pension legislation. Is tire charge true:
Let us see what the official records
disclose on this subject. Presiden;
Grant from 1870 to 1877 inclusive. II
period Of eight years, approved 10
private pension acts; President Hay
es, from 1877 to 1881 inclusive, u peri
Cd CT -four years, approved SOB private
pension acts; President Garfield and
Arthur from 1882 to 1886 inclusive.
approved 30 priNate pension aets:
President Cleveland from 1896 to 1857
inclusive, a period of oni: two years.
has approved 1853 priyate pension
acts. This is seventy seven more.
than President Grant and Hayes ar-
proved III twelve years. and IL,
more than president Clarified and
Arthur approved III four years.
These figures are taken from the stat
utes Of the United States and are cor
rect.
What else has President Cleveland
done for union soldiers and their wild
ows, orphans and dependent rela-
tives? First, lie has appointed more
ex-union soldiers to Office than any
other president. He approved the
act Of March 10, 1886. which increas-
ed to Sic per month the pensions Of
1880 widows, minors and dependent
relatives of union soldiers of the late
war. He approved the act Of August
4, 1886, which increased the pensions
Of 10000 crippled and manned union
so,diers OF tho late war from $24 to
$50, from $50 to $50 and from $50 and
$37 to $45 per month. He approved
the act of January 20, 1887, which
placed on the pension rolls over 25,-
600 survivors and widows of the war
with Mexico. This Is the official
record of President Cleveland upon
the subject Of pensions to soldiers,
and has been made in the first two
years Of his administration. This
record is unassailable and no amount
of reckless dehunoiation and abuse
can break it down,
Against this the enemies of Presi-
dent Cleveland can point to nothing
which they disapprove except his
vetoes of 1913 unjust pension acts and
the vote of the Dependent Pension
bill. That he was right in vetoing
every one of these private pension
bills a reading Of the vetoes and an
examination of the records In the
case will show, and the veto Of the
Dependent Pension bill was demand
ed almost unanimously by the people
Of the country as well as by think
ing men OF all parties; both in and
out of tho ranks of the union soldiers.
What has been done IN two years
in the Pension Office under the al.
ministration Of Commissioner Blackf
From July |, 1885, to June 80, 1887,
inclusive, q period of two years, $685.
697 pension certificates of all classes
were issued-being On increase OF
130, $50 certificates in favor of the
first two years under democratic rule
over the preceding two years of re-
publican rule. From July l, 1885, to
June 80, 1887, inclusive, there were
disbursed on account Of pensions
$122, 965. 2A3. 45-beine an increase Of
$lo,oI6, O2647 for the first two years
under democratic administration
over the last two years under repub-
lican administration. On July /, 1888
there were 3O3,658 pensioners upon
the rolls; on July l, 1856, there were
upon the rolls S45,125 pensioners
being a net increase to the rolls du.
ring the last two years under repub.
lican rule of Al, ACT; on July /, 1887,
there were upon the rolls fully 402,'
600 pensioners-a net gain to the
rolls during the first two years Of
democratic rule OF 58,876 or Is, 40s
more of a net gain to the rolls during
the first two years of President Cleve
lands administration than the las,
two years Of President Arthur's ad
ministration, and this in the face o
the fact that the clerical force Ia.
been reduced 1914 within that time
and that the death rate among thu
soldiers is rapidly increasing as years
go by.
During the fiscal year ending june
80, 1887, 1880 certificates of al
classes were issued by the Bureau O
Pensions, of which 55,1e4 were origi
nal. The highest number Of origina
certificates ever issued in one veal
before, was in 1866, when there were
SO, 1T; SO that the number of origina
certificates issued during the yeal
just closed is 5,O17 in excess Of TIN
highest number ever before issued il
the history Of the bureau. The fruits
of the administration OF President
Cleveland show beyond cavil thai
the union soldiers OF the countr,
never had better friend.-[Wash
ington Dispatch.
He Had Salt Rheum for 20 Years